Sink a full rack on a six-pocket table in as few strokes as possible, with realistic ball physics on every hit.
Pocket Pool is a single-player billiards game. The table has six pockets, the rack holds fifteen numbered balls, and your aim is to clear them all with as few strokes as possible. There is no rival waiting for a miss. Each shot simply adds one to your count, and a lower total is better.
A real physics engine drives the table, so balls spin, kiss off each other and rebound from the cushions in a believable way.
How a rack plays out
When you press Play, the triangle of balls sits at the far end and the cue ball waits on the head string. Readouts along the top show your current shot count, your record and the number of balls still in play.
Aiming is visual. A dotted line ending in an arrow points where the cue ball will go and grows with the force, while a percentage at the bottom of the screen gives the exact power. A thin red line extends straight past the arrow, but it ignores rebounds, so banks and angles are still up to you.
With a mouse, the farther your pointer is from the cue ball, the harder the hit. The scroll wheel nudges power up or down, and holding the right button speeds up balls that are still rolling. On a touchscreen, pull back from the cue ball and lift your finger to strike.
When the cue ball drops
Sinking the cue ball is a scratch. Wait for the table to settle and you get ball in hand, which lets you put the cue ball anywhere on the cloth. A ghost ball turns red when you hover over a spot that crowds a cushion, a pocket or another ball. No extra penalty is added, but the shot that scratched still counts.
Winning moves
- Break with full power. A hard break spreads the pack and sometimes drops a ball or two right away, saving strokes.
- Go gentle near the pockets. When a ball is hanging at the edge of a hole, a light tap drops it while keeping the cue ball on the table.
- Think one shot ahead. Balls lose speed quickly once they start to crawl, so picture the cue ball’s resting spot before every stroke.
- Use ball in hand well. After a scratch, place the cue ball for the simplest straight pot on the table.
Good to know
Your fewest shots for a cleared table is stored in your browser and shown both during play and on the title menu. Press R or open the menu and choose New Rack to start over, and press Esc to pause.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aim and set power | — | Point where the cue ball should go; farther from the ball means more power | Press and drag behind the cue ball; pull farther back for more power |
| Shoot | — | Left click | Lift your finger |
| Fine-tune power | — | Scroll the wheel (up adds power, down removes it) | — |
| Fast-forward rolling balls | — | Hold the right button | — |
| Place the cue ball after a scratch | — | Move to a spot and click | Drag to a spot and lift your finger |
| Start a new rack | R | Menu icon, then New Rack | Menu icon, then New Rack |
| Pause | Esc | Click the menu icon (top right) | Tap the menu icon (top right) |
Pocket Pool FAQ
Does Pocket Pool work on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. With a mouse or trackpad you point and click to shoot. On a touchscreen you drag back from the cue ball like a slingshot and release to fire. If you hold a phone upright, the table rotates sideways so it still fills the screen.
Is there an opponent?
No. It is a one-player challenge with no turns and no computer rival. Your only opponent is your own record, which is the lowest number of shots you have needed to clear the table.
How long does a rack take?
That depends on your aim. A clean run might take a few minutes, while a messy one with several scratches takes longer. There is no clock, so you can line up each shot as slowly as you like.
What is the win condition?
Pocket all fifteen numbered balls. Any ball can drop at any time, with no colors to claim and no special eight-ball rule. When the counter of remaining balls hits zero, the table is cleared and your shot total is compared with your best.
